Machine gun and the like firearm



Jan, 13, 1925.

G. HAZELTON MACHINE GN AND THE LIKE FIREARM Filed Sept. 24, 1925 I V17/19 emi-O1' G. Iii-az e, Zion @ym @we Patente-el Jan. 13, i925.

GEORGE HAZELTON,

0F PARS, FRANCE.

IVIACHINE GUN AND THE LIKE FIREARM.

Application filed September' 24, 1923.

To @ZZ inkom t may concern Be it known that l, Geenen HAznL'roN, a subject ot' the King orl Great Britain and lreland, and residing at T Rue Georges Ville, Paris, XVl", France, have invented certain new and useful improvements Relating to Machine lGuns and the like Firearms, oli' which the following is a specii'ication.

rl`he object ot' this invention is to prevent the entrance ot' dust or water to the `interior reciprocating mechanism ot a machine gun by way oi the slot through which the cocking handle ot' the gun projects and along which it slides when the gun is in operation.

The invention consists in a movable shutter lodged in a cavity in the breech body which entirely closes the said slot when the cooking handle is in its uncooked position or rest and is automatically displaced laterally against the resistance of a spring to permit the movement et the cooking handle.

r1`he invention also consists in a detachable cover plate lilted to the breech body and retained in position by a spring arranged to permit the assemblage and removal of the shutter and spring.

A constructional form ot' the improved device according to this invention is illustrated by way ot example in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is an elevation of the breech, the shutter or slide being shown in a. section taken through its vertical plane of symmetry with the cooking knob in its rest position.

Figures 2 and 3 are similar views respectively during the movement of the knob, and when the latter is in iring position.

Figure l is a cross-section of the breech taken through the line A-A of Figure 1, showing the cocking knob in the rest position.

Figure 5 is a similar section taken through B-B.

Figure 6 is a longitudinal section taken through the line C-C showing the lid in section and with its locking spring.

Figure 7 is an underside vie-w ot' the lid.

Figure 8 is an elevation ol the breech case showing the lid and the cooking knob.

n carrying my invention into effect in the form illustrated in Figures 1 8 the shutter 1 is a bar ot rectangular section of length equal to that of the slot along which the cooking handle slides, and is provided with a groove 2 along one of its long narrower Serial No. 664,552.

laces in which a long spring Wire 3 is lodged. The shutter 1 is lodged in a cavity /l at the side ot the breech body having a plane face parallel to the plane of symmetry of the breech body. rlhe slot 6 along which the shank or the cooking handle slides gives communication between the said cavity and the bore of the breech body. A cover plate 9 is litted to the breech body extending beyond both ends oic the said cavity, is slid into position trom one end along grooves in the breech body and is retained in position by a small spring plate 11 lixed to the latter which engages with a hole 13 near the inner end ol' the cover plate 9. The entire upper edge of the cover plate engages with a groove on the upper wall oi the shutter cavity 4 but its lower edge extends at such distance from the lower wall ot' the cavity as to permit the shank 7 or" the cooking knob 8 to slide easily.

rl`he shutter 1 lits easily between the plane tace aforesaid ot the breech body and the parallel inner tace ot' the cover plate 9. lt is provided with a notch 15 near its forward end which, when the cocking handle is in its forward position of rest (Figure 1) fits over the shank of the cooking handle, thus permitting the shutter 1 to move downwards until its lower long narrower face is in contact with the lower wall of the shutter cavity t.

1n this position the slot aperture is entirely closed up, so that dust or water cannot enter. The shutter 1 is forced into this position by the long spring wire 3 which abuts against the upper wall of the shutter cavity 4.

The shank 7 of the cooking handle in contact with the shutter when in the said position ot rest is made with a bevelled surface and the notch of the shutter is similarly shaped (Figures 1 and 2). Thus, as soon as the cooking handle begins to move rearwards from .its rest position (Figure 1), either during the automatic operation of the gun or for cooking the gun, the shutter is displaced upwards against the resistance of the long spring wire 3 (see Figure 2). In the cocked position (Figure the long spring wire 3 forces the forward end of the shutter downwards so that the slot aperture is partially closed.

To dismantle the shutter a pointed implement of any kind, such as the point of a cartridge, is pushed through the hole 13 in the Cover plate to release the spring plate aforesaid therefrom, whereupon the cover plate 9 can be slid along its grooves until clear of shutter cavity. rlhe shutter l with its long spring Wire 3 can then be removed laterally from the Cavity t;

Claims.

l. A machine gun or like rearm ineluding a closing shutter and means continuously urging said shutter into ay position Where it covers the cooking handle slot, a bevelled notch in said shatterv1 a corresponding bevel on the cooking handle shank whereby in all positions of the eoeking` handle the slot in which the shank thereof slides is covered hy said shutter.

2. A machine gun or like firearm including` a closingshutter disposed Within a cavity in the breech and a spring tending continuously to retain said shutter in register with the cooking` handle slot, a slidahle cover plate `for said cavity and a groove on said breech for the attachment or detachment of said cover plate.

In testimony Whereoic I have signed my 25 name to this specification.

GEORGE HAZELTON. 

